About
How do you recognize when day-to-day stress becomes a health issue when you are caring for someone with PKD? Many caregivers experience exhaustion and caregiving can be emotionally, mentally, and financially draining. This session will help you identify if you are experiencing depression, anxiety, or even PTSD, and when should you seek professional help.
Learning Objective(s):
Attendees will:
- Understand the links between stress and caregiver burden, depression, burnout, trauma, and compassion fatigue.
- Learn the signs and symptoms of each.
- Become familiar with self-diagnostic tools for identifying the extent of their symptoms.
- Learn what to do to prevent or mitigate becoming overwhelmed and understand when it is time to seek help.
Speakers
Daniel Cukor, Ph.D.
Dr. Cukor is currently the Director of Behavioral Health at The Rogosin Institute in New York City. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from Yeshiva University – Ferkauf Graduate School (2002). The bulk of his research has focused on psychosocial issues in patients with chronic kidney disease. He has received grant support for his research from a variety of local and federal funding sources. His current research interests are focused on depression, anxiety, sleep difficulty, pain and caregiver burden in patients with end stage renal disease. He has lectured nationally and internationally on psychosocial issues for patients with CKD and has written extensively in the scientific literature, with his work cited over 3,000 times. He is also an editor of the upcoming volume “Psychosocial Issues in Chronic Kidney Disease.”
Stephanie Donahue, NP
Stephanie L. Donahue, MSN, FNP-BC is a nurse practitioner at The Rogosin Institute for the past 20 years, hired to assist in building, from the ground up, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary center for patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the first of its kind in the tri-state area. Cultivated >1,000 patients with ADPKD for both clinical practice and research projects.
In the clinical practice, provided triage for potential new patients and comprehensive medical care to patients at initial and follow up appointments. Provided care in hospital for patients with ADPKD. Provided counseling for issues related to ADPKD and CKD including genetic issues and preparation for dialysis and transplant. Obtained and interpreted genetic test results. Presented on the topic of ADPKD and CKD at symposiums. Developed the operating procedures for the group. Performed outreach to the community and started the first of its kind support group for patients and their families. In the research program, co-developed investigator initiated clinical trial protocols including one of the largest patient data repositories for ADPKD nationwide. Co-developed one of the only studies nationwide studying nephrectomized kidneys. Co-investigator on multiple clinical protocols, Phase II-III for the drug tolvaptan/Jynarque. Enrolled the first subject in the country into all three of those protocols. This work led to the approval in 2018 of tolvaptan as the first and only drug for the treatment of rapidly progressing ADPKD. Worked collaboratively both nationally and internationally with other researchers on various projects. Co-authored approximately 17 scientific papers in various journals including The New England Journal of Medicine. Honored to have worked closely with Jon D. Blumenfeld, MD. And Irina Barash, MD.